Author Topic: Vacuumed SO's computer back to life  (Read 2751 times)

Zikoris

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Vacuumed SO's computer back to life
« on: May 24, 2014, 12:45:24 AM »
Small victory. We're both somewhat technologically challenged. His computer had started making noises and randomly shutting off when he was using it. We thought it had died completely, but I decided to crack the thing open for the first time in my life and see if there was anything I could do. Lo and behold, it was CAKED with dust and crap - about 20 minuted with a vacuum cleaner and some improvised cleaning brushes, and it's operational again! Saved a few hundred dollars, which is what we would have spent on a new one!

Zamboni

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Re: Vacuumed SO's computer back to life
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2014, 06:11:53 AM »
Well done!

Greg

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Re: Vacuumed SO's computer back to life
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2014, 10:50:48 AM »
Nice job.  Computers (tower and laptop) can collect a lot of dust and lint.  It reduces the cooling ability and then the computer will slow down and even turn off to protect itself.  I try to regularly blow the dust out of my laptop.  If you search online, you can find terrifying photos of computers clogged up with lint etc.

Not unlike a fridge, but most fridges won't turn off, but instead will just use more power.

Jamesqf

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Re: Vacuumed SO's computer back to life
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2014, 11:27:53 AM »
You can find widgets that will display CPU temperatures & fan speed.  I use one called 'conky' (on linux, don't know if it works with Windows).  Current CPU temp is 118F (fairly normal for light load), and fan is off.

Greg

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Re: Vacuumed SO's computer back to life
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2014, 11:34:31 AM »
You can find widgets that will display CPU temperatures & fan speed.  I use one called 'conky' (on linux, don't know if it works with Windows).  Current CPU temp is 118F (fairly normal for light load), and fan is off.

I use one on my laptop too.  117ºF and my fans are at low speed. 

FIreDrill

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Re: Vacuumed SO's computer back to life
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2014, 12:56:43 PM »
Nice! Just for future reference, next time you need to get the dust out of a computer the preferred way is compressed air canisters.  When you use a vacuum you there is a chance for you try fry some of the main components by electric or electrostatic shock.

Travis

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Re: Vacuumed SO's computer back to life
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2014, 06:33:49 AM »
Nice! Just for future reference, next time you need to get the dust out of a computer the preferred way is compressed air canisters.  When you use a vacuum you there is a chance for you try fry some of the main components by electric or electrostatic shock.

Seconded.  Vacuum cleaners create static with the way they move air around.  Use canned air and/or a small, soft, handheld brush.  Make sure the unit is unplugged and you've discharged any static in your hands before touching it.  Computers are resilient to things like heat and dust if you give them a little care, especially laptops.  They're designed to protect themselves with heat sensors and automatically shut off rather than fry themselves.  If you're using a desktop tower, make sure it's in a well ventilated spot where air can freely flow in one end and out the other and if in a carpeted room make sure the area around the system is vacuumed regularly.

One of my coworkers brought his laptop to me a few years back complaining it wouldn't power on.  I flipped it over and removed a dust bunny the size of a golf ball from the exhaust port and it turned back on right away.  I inherited a desktop tower from someone a few weeks later and during a down day I cracked it open and discovered it hadn't been cleaned in at least a year. Imagine someone just dumping the contents of a vacuum cleaner onto the boards and that's what it looked like.  Two cans of air later it was humming along.  Both incidents were in Iraq where the outside air is light shade of brown on a "clean" day. We went through canned air by the case.